Chapter 4
She took Mordin, Liara and Vega with her to Tuchanka. Even though they were under Wrex' protection, bringing a salarian with them was provocative. Had she brought Garrus as well they would be risking even more ire that even Wrex might not be able to protect them.
To look upon Tuchanka from above was to be a voyeur to misery. The land was parched, a patchwork of towering rubble. It was impossible to determine what the piles had been originally. Whether they once belonged to vast temples or coliseums' or shrines or just a humble home, even time had forgotten. Streets and boulevards were swallowed by time and dust. The seas were parched hollows, only a few small lakes and ravines remained. Settlements formed around these bodies. But these were hoarded over by warlords, eager to exact a toll for the only resource on Tuchanka that still mattered. Blood often spilled, contaminating what few sources were left.
The home of Clan Urdnot was a compound surrounded a source that fed one of larger rivers. Walls made from old vehicles and unidentifiable detritus created a perimeter. Mismatched AA turrets provided air defense. Several krogans paced upon on makeshift ramparts on sentry duty. Dozens of Tomka trucks were parked out in the open. A small building, barely standing, stood at the centre of the compound. She didn't doubt that the bulk of this 'facility' lay underground.
The shuttle landed among the Tomka trunks. It might have once descended from a majestic vehicle, but was now little more than an eyesore. They were unsymmetrical, an ugly fusion of mismatched parts that barely worked. Mobile turrets dotted the chassis, but it made the vehicle even more unbalanced. They looked sturdy enough, but they had no aesthetic value. Like the planet that had claimed it. 2 korgans waited for them, one of them was Grunt. The other she didn't recognize, he was older, his carapace scarred in sharp contrast to Grunt's pristine skin.
"Welcome to the home of Clan Urdnot, Shepard." Grunt said. She thanked him as they left the shuttle. when Mordin stepped off, the other krogan pulled out his weapon, pointing his Claymore directly at Mordin. Shepard and her team raised their weapons. Now, dozens of armed krogans milling about the compound turned their weapons on Shepard and her team. Tense silence reigned. Only Grunt didn't raise his weapon.
"You've got a lot of nerve bring a salarian here, human." The other krogan said. Grunt stepped in front of him, inches separating their scowling faces.
"Put the gun down." Grunt said.
"Silence! Tank, you have not earned the right to-" The korgan's tirade was interrupted by Grunt head butting him. The krogans growled and bared their teeth at another.
"Wrex has granted sanctuary." Grunt said. "If you do not like it Wreav, your clan will need to find fertile females somewhere else. And the lives of your hostages forfeit."
Wreav backed away, holstering his weapon. The other krogans in the compound did the same, and resumed sentry duties. He did not cease glaring at them, focusing particularly upon the salarian. Mordin was unperturbed by the antipathy, he'd faced far worse than an angry krogan. They walked towards the main building. Entering past jagged steel doors. The inside was a mismatched patchwork of slabs of metal, steel and concrete, hastily stuck together with omni-gel. Computer stations were manned, though clearly older models, the view screens lacking some colours and flickering.
"Who is he?" Shepard asked as they boarded a grille-encased elevator downwards. It creaked and growled under protest as it took them deeper under the surface. The elevator shaft was dug into the bedrock. The ground was various sickly shades of orange and yellow. As they descended, the ground took on fuller, healthier-looking tones of black and brown.
"Wrex' cousin. There is some tension between them." Grunt said. "Wreav feels he should be clan leader."
"Why did he call you tank?" She said. Grunt tensed. She regretted asking the question, but after a terse silence he answered.
"I am tank born. Warlord Okeer bred me. The first and only survivor among a batch of hundreds. They think I'm unnatural and thus not a true krogan." He scoffed at the end of his answer.
"Who's Okeer?" She said.
"A scientist. Trying to cure the genophage by getting around it. It's not working." He said. "I am inflicted with it. It's our insidious curse. We were cursed for a reason, but not the one other krogans think."
"What reason is that?" She said as the elevator reached the bottom with a loud and rather disconcerting bump, almost knocking them off their feet. Shepard and her team gladly stepped off the elevator, following Grunt down winding tunnels. Their boots treaded on broken concrete and stale dust. The walls were littered with elaborate skeins of cracks. It was a wonder the roof haven't caved in.
"We were cursed with the genophage because we could not control ourselves. We must learn to channel our aggression positively. Until then, we do not deserve to be cured of the genophage. We should look to rebuild ourselves rather than looking to destroy others."
He spoke with wisdom beyond his ears. She regretted not making his acquaintance at Ashley's funeral. But, that hadn't been the best time.
"How old are you?" She asked.
"I was born from the tank 6 months ago. Biologically, I am close to 20 years old. I have yet to undergo my proving." She assumed this was coming of age ritual.
"You speak very well for one so young." Liara said.
"It is a product of my breeding. The tank taught me arts both intellectual and martial." Grunt said as they jumped past a large hole in the ground.
"You must find it difficult to fit in with other krogans?" Liara asked.
"Indeed." Grunt said with some bitterness. They stepped past an open doorway. Shepard saw a few krogans gathered around a central figure, seated. They approached the gathering. As they neared she could make out their conversation.
"I will lead your clan to glory Uvenk, whether you like it or not." She heard a familiar voice.
"Wrex." She called out.
"Shepard!" Wrex responded. The other krogans stopped their petitioning and were parted by Wrex shoving past them. "My friend." He grasped her arms in his powerful hands and shook. She felt like giving him a hug and realized how much she missed him.
"Good to see ya, pijak." He said as he roughly tapped her shoulders.
"Good to see you, too." She said, beaming.
The other krogans saw the salarian and growled at him. Wrex turned to them.
"These are my friends and guests. Treat them with the same respect you treat me. If you don't, it will be the last mistake you'll ever make. Leave us."
The other krogans dispersed, their displeasure obvious. Leaving behind them something of a throne Wrex had fashioned for himself. An Iron chair, worn and faded, covered with dust and dents. The left arm rest had been torn out. Wrex sat down and invited his friends to come closer. He eyed the salarian curiously.
"Shepard." He said. "I'm sorry I couldn't make it for Ashley's funeral."
"It's okay." Shepard said. She thrust her palms upward and gritted her teeth. Focus. He looked at her for a moment before he looked to her friends. Then his eyes turned back to her.
"How can I help you? I'm guessing this isn't a social visit." He said.
"We need your help." Shepard said. "It's for Mordin."
Mordin stepped forward. He did not shirk from Wrex' penetrating gaze.
"Have protégé. Maelon. Kidnapped by Clan Gol. Fear the worst. Would like to save him."
"What's your protégé doing on Tuchanka?" He said.
There was a heavy silence that last for maybe half a second but felt like half a year. When Mordin answered, it was the first time she'd ever detected any kind of wavering or emotion in his voice.
"Maelon was conducting genophage research."
"What kind of research? Seems to me it works fine as it is." There was no hiding the bitterness in Wrex' tone.
"Not necessarily. Research found krogan adapting to genophage. Genophage modified. Introduced to krogan populations. Maelon studying results."
Wrex was silent for several long moments. His right first gripped the armwrest. "Adapting to the genophage? I need to see that research."
"Cannot comply. Data is classified. Sensitive-"
"-Mordin, he has a right, the krogans have a right to that data." Shepard said.
"Not your decision to make." Mordin said, turning towards her.
"Nor is it yours." Wrex said. "I hope I don't have to tell you what this disease has done to us. We need a cure. If we're adapting to it, it's the first positive step our species has made since then. I'll tell you something else," Wrex stood and strode towards Mordin. Inches separated them. Mordin did not back away and stood his ground.
"I need this. I'm the only clan leader who's close to achieving some kind of peace in centuries. And I'm damn near the only clan leader who doesn't want to wage war on the whole galaxy in revenge. Someone else gets this, there's going to be lots of blood spilled. And what happens after that will pale next to the genophage."
Mordin said nothing. "If you won't give me the data out of your conscience, then you'll give it to me as part of a deal." Wrex said. "My intel says he's still alive. For now. If you give me the data, I'll even send Grunt with you to help get him back."
Mordin shook his head. "Will not bargain for genophage data. Visit a courtesy."
Shepard stared at Mordin. She couldn't believe he would insult Wrex so. Wrex was glaring at him and she was of mind to hit him as well. But he was a crewmate.
"If you weren't with Shepard, I would skin you with my bare hands." Wrex said. He looked to Shepard. She gave the slightest of nods. "For a little salarian you got yourself a quad, I'll give you that. You can go. Take Grunt with you. For your sake, salarian." Wrex poked Mordin's shoulder with his fingers, causing the salarian to back away. "Keep your eyes open. Maybe what you see will change your mind."
The ride in the Tomka was rough. The seats were too big for them by several inches. The seats had no padding or safety straps of any kind. They were shaped with random imperfections like they were hewn out of the fuselage itself, rather than a separate part welded to the chassis. The truck shook roughly with every pothole or stone it ran through, sometimes their heads would come close to hitting the ceiling. They spoke little, Shepard was angry with Mordin. Though she had to admire his courage, not many could say no to Wrex and not cower in terror. If only his wisdom were equal to his courage.
After one hour, they reached their destination. Grunt dismounted from the cockpit and joined them outside. Before them lied a twisted maze of toppled buildings and ruins, the paths between them were too narrow for the truck to pass. Grunt readied his Claymore shotgun. The rest of them readied their weapons and powered up their kinetic barriers. Grunt forwarded them the coordinates of the hospital were Maelon was held prisoner. 3.5 miles due west. But the route was anything but straight, zigzagging various directions through rock and rubble.
"We've been spotted." Grunt said as they approached the first building. "Follow me. I'm in the mood for a fight." He growled. His demeanor changed. He no longer seemed the eloquent krogan she'd met, but now seemed angry and aggressive as any other krogan. They were a few feet away from a near wall when they heard a popping sound.
"Grenade!" Vega said.
"I've got it." Liara said. Her biotics flared. Shepard saw the grenade pause in mid air, trapped in a biotic wave before Liara flung it back. The ground shook with the concussion from the explosion, pieces of masonry trickled down from the decayed roof above them.
Shepard launched a drone. It floated above the wall. It took fire but not before revealing many enemy positions. She ordered Vega and Liara to take a position behind some rubble a dozen meters ahead. She, Grunt and Mordin laid down suppressing fire, allowing the two to advance to cover. Her drone was destroyed. Vega and Liara advanced further, Liara erecting a barrier around both of them. She and her two companions leapfrogged their way, slowly forward.
The more they neared the hospital, the fiercer resistance became. Krogans charged, grenades thrown, varren armed with flamethrowers rushed them. Liara would suspend the krogans in a singularity and they would open up with their weapons. Shepard as better able to control the fire from her rifle, but the Revenant's excessive recoil was still a challenge to overcome. It was odd not having Garrus and Ashley around to mock her marksmanship. Their progress towards the hospital was slow, the passage of time marked by a trail of corpses.
They reached the hospital. Resistance eroded the last few hundred yards of their trek. The eerie silence punctuated by the sounds of their boots hitting the ground. Their guns were overheated, Liara was sweating profusely, reduced to eating energy bars to regenerate. Vega's armour had more battle-scars. The hospital doors opened, revealing a half dozen armed krogans, their leader had a Claymore shotgun in each hand. "You have come to die!" He shouted.
They took cover behind some half-felled support beams as the war leader ranted. You've got to me fucking kidding me! Five miles of fighting through trenches and we have to deal with this asshole!?
"With the genophage cured, all krogan shall unite under the leadership of clan Gol. And we will spread our wrath throughout the galaxy. Laying waste to salarians and turians for unleashing the genophage. And if you puny humans or asari try to get in our way-"
Shepard rolled her eyes. Frustrated, she grabbed her pistol and peered beyond cover.
"Shut your fucking hole!" She yelled and fired a shot above him. The bullet piercing a whole into a heat discharge pipe. Gas spurted out of the puncture. The krogans ducked but did not realize their peril. The lead krogan laughed.
"Haha! The human cannot hit a simple target."
"I wasn't aiming for you, dumbass!" Shouted shouted before firing a second shot. The bullet ignited the gas. Incinerating the krogans instantly, melting their armour and charring their flesh. Their gurgling screams echoed around the plaza as they were burned alive. Shepard shut her eyes, even though she knew it wouldn't deafen their cries. They emerged from cover and walked towards the entrance-way. The bodies lied in a steaming pool of a viscous liquid, the fusion of their melted armour and charred flesh, steam rising from the refuse. Even through the helmet, the smell induced nausea.
The hospital was like none Shepard had ever seen. Dust particles floated in the air, and was layered upon the ground. Their footsteps leaving deep impressions. Their footprints reminded her of the impressions left by walking on earth's moon. The walls were crumbling, deep fissures spreading like an intricate skein of scars. The floors creaked dangerously with every step they took. Colonies of mold hung from the holes in the ceiling, some touching the ground and spreading outward. Vega spoke for all of them. "I pity anyone stuck in here."
With her Omni-Tool, Shepard detected heavy power readings in the basement, the maternity ward. This was their best guess at finding him. The irony of the location was lost on no one. They encountered no further resistance as they descended into the former hospital. The lack of violence was only a partial relief as the state of this building was much like the krogan themselves. Violence and death personified and embodied, while life and care for kin forgotten and abandoned.
A spiral staircase led them downward to the basement. It shook perilously with each step. Not far from the landing lay a sprawled corpse. A human male. His decaying face portrayed one who'd died in agony. Dried blood stains were concentrated around the man's groin, his pants looked like they'd been sheared off. Vega audibly winced. Mordin kneeled over and scanned the body with his Omni-Tool.
"What happened?" Shepard asked.
"Sexual organs removed. No anesthetic. No surgical tools used. Patient discarded after organ removal. Died of blood loss and exposure."
Mordin looked around. His breathing was irregular, and his eyes were blinking rapidly. He then stood and walked towards something hidden in the darkness. He came back with a torn, ragged cloth. It might have once been a blanket, but it was hard to tell. He knelt over the corpse and draped the torn rags over the body.
"Rest well. May you find peace among your gods." He said. He stood with some difficulty. "We should go." He said. They followed Mordin forward. His breathing returned to normal. They didn't venture far before their progress was halted. Liara's caught something and ventured into a room.
"By the goddess." She said. Shepard came in after her and it took no time to see the source of her despondency. A room, filled with two dozen slab examination tables. Each with a dead female krogan body upon it. Their bodies looked fresh, the flesh hadn't yet begun to decay. The smell of pungent decay remained strong. The bodies had all been ripped open, their egg sacs torn out of their bodies like someone was throwing out rubbish. The floor covered with a thick layer of a pinkish liquid. Shepard fought the urge to vomit, knowing if she took off her helmet the stench would become overpowering and she would heave even more.
"When the tests failed, they not only killed them but did this." Liara said. This was like ripping a stillborn fetus out of a woman's body. On a much bigger scale. Mordin was the last to enter the examination room. His legs trembled ever so slightly as he beheld the ghastly gallery of horrors. His breathing became more noticeably irregular. His eyes blinked at an even faster rate than before. They eagerly left the room. Shepard noticed Grunt's eyes were moist. He nodded to her, to reassure her he was okay. She doubted any of them were after what they'd just witnessed. All were fighting to retain their composure and focus.
They came to a final set of dual-doors from which the power source emanated. The doors opened and they found themselves facing the barrels of 3 dozen guns, belong to vorcha and krogan. All well covered, their safeties clicking off was as loud as it was menacing. Shepard and her team raised their guns but did not fire. Someone wanted to talk.
"It's nice to see you, Professor." A thin voice said, coming from behind the armed legion. From behind a pillar in front of them a salarian emerged. Younger than Mordin, no scars anywhere on his body.
"Maelon?" Mordin said, lowering his SMG. "Thought you were kidnapped."
"No, I'm here as a volunteer." He said.
"Why?" Mordin said. To Shepard, the answer was obvious. Though the methods left much to be desired.
"To cure the genophage. Why else?" Maelon said. "Look around you. This used to be a maternity hospital. Billions of krogan were born here. That ended with the genophage. Look at this planet, they used to have temples and majestic rivers. Now look at it. It's because of the genophage. It needs to be cured.
"Maelon. Learned wrong lessons. Genophage important for galactic stability." Mordin's justification was cut off by the roar of a few krogans. Grunt cast Mordin a sideways glance. Something was different in Mordin's tone, he'd used a different tone in their arguments about the genophage. Here and now, he sounded almost hollow, like he was fighting to justify his previous beliefs.
"The only lesson I learned from you was to question you. No one was allowed to contradict you, you were so brilliant, how could you possibly be wrong? Well, professor. After what you've seen, do you still feel so infallible?"
Mordin said nothing for several seconds. He breathed in deeply. "I….made a mistake." Mordin said. Shepard and her companions turned their shocked heads towards him. She saw and heard no deception in his voice. This wasn't a plan to save their skins. "Was wrong to believe genophage still justified. Changed my mind. But your methods Maelon are unjustifiable. Torture. Kidnapping. End does not justify the means. Have learned that now."
Maelon bowed his head slightly. "I know it's wrong, but I don't see any other way. The krogans are desperate. I want to cure the genophage before I go."
"You can't justify all this." Shepard said.
"There's only one way to justify this" Maelon said.
"Have you made progress towards a cure?" Grunt asked.
"Very little." Maelon sighed.
"There is an opportunity, for you Warock Gull, for your clan and all krogan." Grunt said. "Join us." The krogans grumbled as one. "Under Clan Urdnot, you will have better research facilities, more security. Together, we'll find a cure to the genophage. And you'll have access to fertile females. As a friend of clan Urdnot, you will be among the first to be cured of the genophage."
"Clan Gol will never serve under Clan Urdnot." A krogan bellowed, he stepped forth from cover. His face and armour were old and weathered with scars. A deep scar ran from the bridge of his nose up to his skull plate. "Fertile females are not to be shared like a worthless trinket but possessed by the clan leader to ensure the strength of the clan." Shepard gritted her teeth. She would talk to Wrex about this.
"Clan Leader," Grunt said, "I challenge you to a duel in stead of Urdnot Wrex. When I defeat you, your clan will bow to ours and you will receive our protection. If you defeat me, our lives are forfeit. Do you accept?"
The clan leader dropped his rifle and stepped out of his armour and strode towards Grunt. Grunt dropped his and stepped towards the leader. The krogans all sheathed their weapons and formed a circle around the two. Shepard, Liara, Mordin and Vega all found themselves standing next to people who would've killed them minutes ago. And still might, should things go wrong. She nodded to her companions, all kept their hands on their weapons. If the worse were to happen, they wouldn't go without a fight.
The duelists paced sideways, their fists bared forward. They growled and snarled at another, their teeth shinning brightly in the dim light. Shepard shuddered at what damage those teeth could do to exposed flesh. The clan leader charged forward, Grunt sidestepped him with ease. Grunt made no move to counter attack, and readied himself for the next move. The clan leader growled angrily at the evasion. He lunged for Grunt. Again, Grunt sidestepped him. Grunt was leaner and more agile. Shepard believed Grunt wasn't avoiding a fight, but learning his adversary's tendencies. The clan leader was bigger and stronger. The duelists circled around the pit. The krogans growled, thirsty for blood.
"Fight, you cowardly whelp."
Warock charged. Grunt sidestepped. Only this time Grunt counter-attacked. He stuck out his leg. Warock was tripped off balance but he did not fall from the trip. He fell because Grunt threw his body upon him. Warock fell fast first into the ground, his body crushing the concrete beneath them. Grunt slammed Warock's head into the ground three times. Each time Shepard heard the crackling of broken bones, morbidly impressive given how loud the crowd of krogans and vorcha were.
Warock spun and pushed Grunt off his back. His face was bloodied and a few teeth fell from his mouth. Grunt pushed himself backward and back on his feet. Warock swung his fist. Grunt knelt backward but he caught Warock's fist. The punch dazed Grunt. Warock then charged with his head down, his head plate (?) connected with Grunt's chest. Grunt was pushed back. Before he could recover Warock hit him with another headbutt. Grunt was dazed and was too slow to avoid Waorck's next lunge. Grunt now found himself on the ground. Warock pinned Grunt underneath his massive frame. He joined his fists together and brought them down upon Grunt's face. Shepard cringed as the fists came down. Once. Twice. Thrice. Five times. The crowd roared with each blow. Grunt's face became bloodier with each hit. Shepard reached for her rifle. She knew her squadmates were doing the same. She had faith in Grunt's abilities, but that faith was being tested.
Grunt's head turned, facing her. His bloodied eyes met hers. And something of a smile came to his bloodied face. Warock was raising his fits to his clan. Increasing the roar from the bloodthirsty crowd. But his showmanship was about to prove his undoing. Grunt bellowed with a voice that belied his position.
"I. AM. KROGAN!" Grunt's fist flew and connected on the side of Warock's face. The blow knocked Warock sideways. The leader landed on the ground with Grunt on top of him. The roles were reversed, with Grunt pummeling Warock. While Grunt was weaker, this was purely relative as his punches would break through concrete. Shepard lost count of how many blows Grunt landed. Warock's hands were razed in futile attempt to thwart his attacker. The clatter had died down. There was no more cheering or roaring. Only the sounds of the grunting warriors and Grunt's blows echoed thrugoh the room.
"Submit." Grunt said, holding Warock's bloodied face in his hands. Blood was dripping from his eyes and his mouth, his lower lip was torn from his face.
"I'd rather die." Warock said.
"So be it." Grunt said with a melancholic tone that struck Shepard. Grunt squeezed his hands around Warock's windpipe. She turned away. The cordon of krogans around her forbade her from fleeing. Though she was spared the sight, her ears were witness to the raspy, gurgling sound of his choking. The desperate patter of his feet hitting the ground. She'd killed many times in her life, though never through strangulation. It was hideous. After a few seconds, she had enough. She grabbed her sidearm, turned towards the two warriors. Warock's hands were pathetically, weakly flaying in the air. Grunt's eyes were closed, his head turned away. She fired a single shot at Warock's head, ending his struggle. The throng turned towards her. She saw surprise on their faces, but no anger was directed at her. Mercy killing was accepted.
"Thank you, Shepard." Grunt said, rising from his quarry. "He had his faults, but he did not deserve a slow death." He turned towards the crowd.
"Warock Gol has been honourably slain in combat. You will abide by the terms of our duel. Urdnot Wrex is your new battlemaster." A krogan stepped forward to declare begrudging acceptance of the result of the duel. There wasn't much enthusiasm in his tone nor did Grunt express any pleasure in acceptance. Someone had died, had been killed, for clinging to the old ways. They would have to accept new ways if they were to avoid disaster. Doubt assailed her, just how much could they change?
Shepard strode towards Maelon and asked where he kept the research data. There was no doubt in her mind what should be don with it. Maelon led her to his lab. The room itself was lined with rotting walls, the ceilings and floors filled with cracks and small holes. In the midst of it lied a generator powering several powerful computer consoles. Shepard stood before it and unholstered her side arm. Maelon grabbed her arm. She pushed him away and he fell on the ground.
"What are you doing?" He said, wasting no time in getting back on his feet and standing in front of her, blocking her access to the computer consoles.
"The right thing." She stared at him incredulously. "If you weren't a friend of Mordin's I would shoot you. How can you justify it to the families of those bodies out there? This is madness."
"I know it's mad, but it's all towards a single goal. There's no other way to do this. Don't you want to cure the genophage? If you delete the data, those people will have suffered and died for nothing."
"You told me you hadn't found anything." Shepard said, her pistol still levelled on the computer console.
"I might've missed something. Maybe, something in there will lead to a cure. These are horrible working conditions." Maelon said. She couldn't believe this salarian. Another hand touched her arm, Mordin's.
"Commander. Maelon may be right. Should not make decisions based on emotions. May have disastrous consequences. Some good might come of this."
Mordin was making sense, but she burned with rage at the horrors she'd witnessed. Someone had to answer for them. He was standing right in front of her. In front of the barrel of her pistol. His crocodile tears would not undo or atone for what he'd done. But the only way to atone, was to continue work towards a cure. Their deaths had to mean something, they couldn't just be another anonymous soul butchered. Could they find some good from all this evil? Mordin applied gentle pressure, and her arm lowered, and she found herself holstering the pistol. Maelon breathed loudly in relief.
"No more kidnapping. No more torture." Shepard said. "Otherwise, I'm coming back here." Maelon nodded, not needing the threat to be elaborated. This whole operation was madness, but she could see the reasoning behind it. Maybe the ends do justify the means, she wondered. If a cure came from this, it wouldn't justify this house of horrors, but it would make it easier to live with.
"We should go." She said, taking pains to avoid stepping over the body of the fallen clan leader. They would have a lot more company on the ride back to Urdnot's compound.